Tape condenser



April 23, 1946. DESROS IERS TAPE CONDENSER Filed Oct. 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l mvEm'oR LIONELDESROSIERS MW z ATTORNEYS April 23, 1946. L. DESROSIERS TAPE CONDENSER Filed 001:. 20, 1943 2 ShQetSQ-Sheet 2 INVENTOR m E 5 G R a D m m L Patented Apr. 23, 1946 3. j:

TAPE oonnsnsnn f Y Lionel Desrosiers, Lachutc Mills', Quebec, Canada,'

assignor to Davis & Furber Machine Company, North Andover, Mass.,. a corporation of' =r T v VMassachusetts Application October 20, 194a'seria1No. 507L016 11 Claims.

This invention relates to tape condensers used in the textile industry for dividing a web 'offibers into slivers and condensing the latter into rovings.

In this type of machine the web is fed to dividing mechanism comprising dividing rolls and cooperating tape runs which serve to progressively tear the web into slivers, the taperuns being arranged to carry adjacent slivers along diverging paths from the dividing rolls to condensing aprons which serve to condense the sliversinto rovings.

When the web fed to the tape condenser is composed largely of long fibers it frequently happens that complete separation of adjacent diverging slivers is resisted by connecting fibers left extending therebetween by the dividing mechaq nism. This resistance continues until the connecting fibers break or are torn free from one of the slivers and results in serious difiiculties, such as breakage of the slivers and the production of slivers of non-uniform cross section and fiber content. 7

- The purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved fiber severing attachment which will operate efilciently over a long period of time without requiring. repair, replaceinentor adjusts across said slots in closeproximity to therearside of the slot-defining structure and t0 cooperate with side walls of said slots in severing the connecting fibers entering said slots.

In the preferred embodiment of myinvention the slot-defining structure comprises a plurality of laterally spaced, vertically disposed fingers depending from a suitable supporting bar, said fingers being bent to present upper and lower curved portions which are respectively positioned close to the upper and lower dividing rolls and are a pportionof theirendlesslpath of itr'avel, cross said vertically ektending slots in close proximity to the rear'side of the slot-defining.fingers. The fibers enteringsaid slot are. thus engaged bysaid pin-like projections and move against the; sides of the slots toward which the pin-.likeprojections are travelling with the result that said 'fibers are severed in a'satisfactory manner without damaging the slivers betweenwhich the fibers extend-v Proceeding now to amore detailed description of this invention reference :willbe had to thecaccompanying drawings, in which- I "Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view showing the application of my invention to the dividingmech; anism. of a conventional tape condenser. In this view the tape runshave-been omitted" andthe dividing rolls have been shown as plain rolls since the showing ofthe tape runs and thegrooved formation of the dividing rolls would interfere with-aclear showing of the component parts of V said invention. t

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-'2 ofFig,1, r I Fig. 3qis-a top plan viewof the assembly'showh inFig.1.;

' -Fig.-4'isan enlarged'detail-view of abelt guid ing andsupporting"elementrforming part of the assemblyshown in the preceding figures. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail viewjpartly inside elevation and partly in'vertical" section, of a belt driving pulley arrangementand pulley supporting bra'cketformin'g part of the assembly shown in the precedingfigures. I T

i-Inthepresentdrawings I have shownonly tho'se'p-arts of a conventional tape condenser which are necessary to an understanding: of jmy invention. Such parts comprise the fram'e'-memhere 5, the dividing 'rolls fi, thetape runs 1; and two shaft elements 8 and 9 which 'are' -utili zed to 'drive component parts of my' improvedfiber severing attachment; 'The tape runs! cooperate;

substantially concentric with the cylindrical surfaces of said rolls.

that the pin-like projections, inrmoving through The cooperating fib,er-engag-. ing elements preferably comprise an endless series of spaced, horizontally disposed, pin-like projec-t inawell knownma'rinr, with'the dividing roll's" 6' to divide the fibrous'web to into slivers H and serveto carry adjacent slivers rearwardly along diverging paths from the dividing r'olls toupper and-lower tape condenser units;(not' shown). The slot-defining structure of fmy improved;

fiber; severing attachment comprises apluralityof; laterally spaced vertically disposed fingers l2- depending from a supporting bar. l3 ;which .ex tends between'theframelmembers 5 and is supported therefrom by suitable-brackets I4. Thebar 13 'isflo'cated rearwardly .'of, and relatively. close to the upper portion of the upper dividing roll; 6. The fingers l 2 define plurality of: slots portion I! of each finger is positioned close to and substantially concentric with the upper dividing roll 6 and the lower portion I8 is similarly positioned with reference to; the lower 'dividing roll 5. This curvature of the finger l2- ensures that the connecting fibers t6 will be received in the slots l at a point close to the point of separation of the adjacent slivers between which the fibers l6 extend.

The fiber-engaging elements which cooperate with the slot-defining fingers l2 to sever the connecting fibers l6 as the latter enter the slots [5 are here shown as comprising an endless {series of 1 spaced, horizontally disposed pin-like members 19 projecting from the outers'ide of an endless 'carrie'r belt 26 which is trained around pulleys 2i and 22 mounted to turn-about vertical axes by suitable pulley shafts 2 3 and '24.

In the present instance belt is shown as a two-ply belt comprising a relatively wide'inner ply 2 5 and'a relatively narrow outer =ply 25. Ihe pin-likepro'jections "l9 are here shown in the form of nails which are passed 1 outwardly throughthe belt ply 26 so that the heads of the nails lie between this ply and the inner my 25.

The shafts 2-3 and 24 about which the pulleys 2| and a r-revolve are carried, respectively, by brackets Hand 28 fastened to the opposite'fr'ame members 5 so' that one run of the belt '20 is pos'i-tio'hed opposite and relatively close to the pormas er the fingers l2 which lie opposite the nip of the dividing rolls 6. In thi connection it is important that the positioning of belt 20 with reference to fingers I 2 be such that, in moving through a portion of their endless path of travel, the pin-like projections I!) pass across the slots IS in close proximity to the central portions of the fingers 1-2 which lie opposite the hip of the dividing rolls 6. This ensures that the pin-like projections 19 will engage the connecting fibers 16 immediately after said fibers are advanced into the slots '15 by the rearward travelling movement of the adjacent diverging slivers between which they extend. The fibers engaged by the projections I 9 are forced against side walls of the slots l-5 toward which the fiber-engaging projections are travelling and are quickly severed without damaging the adjacent slivers be-' tween which said fibers-extend;

The -pu1ley-2-2 has attached thereto a driving pulley 30 which is driven by a belt 3i :from a pulley 32 on the previousl mentioned shaft 8 which may be any suitable live shaft-of the condenser operating mechanism. Since the shaft 8 is located "outside the adjacent frame member '5 and rearwardlyof the driving pulley30 'the' two runs of the driving belt 3'! are trained around guide pulleys'ss' which are mounted on shafts carried by a suitable bracket 35. {A rotar brush 37 is arranged adjacent the rear of the belt 20 to engage and remove fibers or portions of f1- bers from the pin-like projections l9 as the latter pass aroundthe pulley 22. This brush is carried by 'a s'haft 38 which extends outwardly through the right hand frame member 5 and is journalled in "a suitable bearing bracket 39, the

outer end of said shaft being provided with a pulley 40 which i driven by a driving rope M from a pulley 42 mounted on the shaft 9.

Suitable means are provided for supporting and guiding the two runs of the belt 20 at a point intermediate the pulleys 2| and 22 around which the belt is trained. 'Such means comprises a guide block 45 which is provided, in its upper surface, with front and rear grooves 46 in which the lower edges of the front and rear runs of the belt 20 are supported and guided. This block is fastened to a metal plate 41 which is rigidly secured to a supporting rod 48 extending between and carried by the pulley supporting brackets 2! and 28.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of my invention it will be understood that diverging paths of travel,- of a slot defining structure located adjacent'said dividing and directing means and-presenting a plurality of slots extending parallel with the paths of travel of said slivers and adjacent their line of divergence so that con- 7 necting fibers left extending between adjacent slivers will be advanced into said slots as the slivers diverge, and means cooperating with said slot defining structure to sever the connecting fibers entering said slots.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, in

' which'the last mentioned means comprises a series of fiber'engaging elements mounted for travelling movement and means for moving said elements across "said slots in close proximity to said slotdefining structure to cooperate'therewith in severing the connecting fibers entering said slots.

- 3. The combination with a machine having means for 'progressively'dividing a web of fibers into slivers and directing adjacent slivers along diverging paths of travel, of a slot defining structure comprising a series of laterally spaced fingers presentinga plurality of slots extending parallel with the paths of travel of said slivers and adjacent their line of divergence 'to receive there in connecting fibers left extending between adjacent diverging slivers, and means cooperating with said slot defining structure to sever the connecting fibers'ehtering said slots.

4. The combination with a machine having means for progressively dividing a web of fibers into slivers and directing adjacent slivers along divergingpaths of travel, of a slot defining structure comprising a supporting barand a plurality ofjlaterally spaced slot defining "fingers carried by saidbar and disposed in substantially parallel relation with each other presenting a plurality of slotsexte'nding par allel with the paths of travel of saidslivers and adjacent their line of divergence torec'eive therein connecting fibers left extending between adjacent diverging slivers, and means cooperating with said slot defining structureto sever the connecting fibers entering said SIDES; l

5. The combination with a machine aving means for progressively dividing a web of "fibers intoslivers' and directing adjacent slivers" along divergingpaths of travel, of a slot defining structure presenting a plurality of slots extending parallel with the paths of travel of said slivers and adjacent their line of divergenceto receive therein connecting fibers left extending between adjacent diverging slivers, and means cooperating with said slot defining structure to sever the connecting fibers entering said slots, said operating means comprising a pair of pulleys mounted adjacent opposite ends of said slot-defining structure and relatively close thereto, an endless belt trained around said pulleys and a plurality of fiber engaging elements projecting from said belt and adapted, during travelling movement of the belt, to travel across said slots in close proximity to said slot-defining structure and means for imparting travelling movement to said belt.

6. The combination with a tape condenser web dividing mechanism comprising dividing rolls and tape runs cooperating with said rolls progressively to divide a web of fibers into slivers and to direct adjacent slivers along diverging paths of travel, of a slot-defining structure located adjacent said dividing rolls and defining a plurality of slots so positioned with reference to said rolls and tape runs that connecting fibers left extending between adjacent slivers will be advanced into said slots as'the slivers diverge from the dividing rolls and means cooperating with said slot-defining structure to sever the connecting fibers entering said slots, said means comprising travelling fiber-engaging elements arranged to travel across said slots in close proximity to said slot-defining structure.

'7. The combination with a machine having means for progressively dividing a webof fibers into slivers and directing adjacent slivers along diverging paths of travel, of means for severing connecting fibers left extending between adjacent slivers comprising a series of spaced fiberengaging elements positioned to receive the connecting fibers therebetween, means for moving said fiber-engaging elements transversely of said connecting fibers, and means engaging said connecting fibers to oppose movement thereof by said elements and cooperating therewith toeffect the rupture of said connecting fibers. I

8. The combination with a machine having means for dividing a web of fibers into slivers and directing adjacent slivers along diverging paths of travel, of means for severing connecting fibers left extending between adjacent diverging slivers comprising an endless belt, fiber-engaging elements projecting from said belt and adapted to engage said connecting fibers and means for supporting andimparting travelling movement to said belt whereby said fiber-engaging elements are caused to travel in the transverse direction of said fibers.

9. The combination with a tape condenser web dividing mechanism comprising upper and lower dividing rolls and tape runs cooperating with said rolls to divide a web of fibers into slivers and to direct adjacent slivers along diverging paths of travel, of means for severing the connecting fibers left extending between adjacent slivers, said means comprising a slot-defining structure extending outwardly from said belt and means for imparting travelling movement to said belt. 10. The combination set forth in claim 9, in which said slot-defining structure comprises a supporting bar located opposite the upper portion of the upper roll of the dividing mechanism and a plurality of slot-defining fingers depending from said bar.

11. The combination set forth in claim 9, in

which the slot-defining structure comprises a supporting bar located relatively close to and parallel with the upper portion of the upper dividing roll and a plurality of laterally spaced slot-defining fingers depending from said bar, each finger being bent to present upper and lower curved portions which are respectively positioned close to the upper and lower dividing rolls and are substantially concentric with the cylindrical surfaces of said rolls.

LIONEL DESROSIERS. 

